Editorial: Rod The Joker

Rod Blagojevich is a non-homicidal version of The Joker from the summer blockbuster “The Dark Knight.” They have one thing in common: a desire to shock people and sow discord.

Rod Blagojevich is a non-homicidal version of The Joker from the summer blockbuster “The Dark Knight.”

They have one thing in common: a desire to shock people and sow discord.

“You know what I am?” The Joker says in the film. “I’m a dog chasing cars. You know, I just do things. ... Upset the established order, and everything becomes chaos. I’m an agent of chaos.”

Blagojevich continued raining down his own brand of chaos on Illinois on Tuesday, appointing former state Attorney General Roland Burris to President-elect Barack Obama’s former Senate seat and calling him a man of “unquestioned integrity.”

Those who can stand in the way of Burris being seated should do so. He should not serve a day in the U.S. Senate.

“Please don’t allow the allegations against me to taint this good and honest man,” Blagojevich said, smiling, as if that were possible. We almost could hear the governor’s thinking, “How’s this for bedlam?”

If you pitched this set of facts as a movie, you’d be laughed out of Hollywood for the sheer implausibility of it:

The governor is arrested for allegedly trying to sell the president-elect’s Senate seat. Blagojevich’s fellow Democrats talk about stripping him of the power to appoint a senator, then back off after the governor signals he is open to the idea, fearing they will lose the seat to the Republicans in a special election.

Now, after his lawyer, Ed Genson, indicated Blagojevich will not appoint a replacement, the governor appoints a black, elder statesman-like politician to the seat, apparently believing that it will be tough for people to object.

The richest part of Tuesday’s statement was when Blagojevich blamed Illinois’ Democratic legislature for not reacting to his alleged criminal conduct by stripping him of his appointment power. The Democratic governor seems to take special pleasure in trying to destroy his own party.

Listening to Rep. Bobby Rush, who thanked God for the appointment at Blagojevich’s press conference, it’s clear race will be injected into the discussion, too, with Rush asking how Democrats could reject a black nominee who would be the nation’s only black U.S. senator.

Secretary of State Jesse White and U.S. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid rightly have indicated they will not clear the way for Burris. White said he will not certify Blagojevich’s appointment and Reid said the Senate will not seat Burris.

We doubt Blagojevich cares what they do. His political career in ruin, he is determined to create a circus, with him as chief clown and ringmaster.

And shame on Burris and Rush for participating in such narcissism. Burris would not even denounce the governor’s alleged conduct, lamely saying he had “no comment.”

The Joker was fun to watch on the big screen. It’s not so fun to watch him run a state.

The State Journal-Register

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